Association between floor type and behaviour, skin lesions, and claw dimensions in group-housed fattening bulls

Rubber mats covering concrete slatted flooring are a developing market in dairy barns but remain rare in beef cattle facilities. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of covering slatted concrete floor with perforated rubber mats on behaviour and occurrence of skin and claw lesions in fattening bulls. The groups of six bulls each with a total average age of 9.8 months were kept over 1 year on either slatted concrete (CONCRETE PEN) or on slatted concrete covered completely (RUBBER PEN) or partially (CHOICE PEN) with perforated rubber mats. Every quarter-year, behaviour (preference of flooring, lying, aggression, mounting) was recorded. In two-weekly intervals the incidence of skin lesions was examined. At 12 and 18 months of age the rising time of the bulls was measured. At the beginning of the study and after slaughter claw dimensions were recorded. Bulls in the CHOICE PEN preferred (P<0.01) the rubber coated area throughout the experiment. Animals in the RUBBER and the CHOICE PENS showed more lying periods (P<0.01) and had a lesser incidence of skin lesions (P<0.01) compared to bulls in the CONCRETE PEN. Bulls in the CHOICE PEN needed less time for rising (2.7+/-0.3s) than bulls in the CONCRETE PEN (4.4+/-0.5s, P<0.01). Net claw growth differed significantly between all pens (RUBBER>CHOICE>CONCRETE; P<0.05). In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that rubber coated slatted flooring has a positive influence on the housing conditions of beef cattle.     

Skeletal and tendon lesions of male broiler-breeders reared on elevated slats

Eighty 25-week-old male broiler-breeder chickens were placed in pens with elevated slats for 16 weeks. A similar group of birds was housed on floor pens for comparison. The coxofemoral, stifle, and tibiotarsal joints and their supporting tendons and ligaments were examined grossly. Rearing heavy broiler-breeders on elevated slats did not result in grossly apparent arthritis, tendonitis, or tendon failure. Body weights and shank lengths and diameters were not markedly different. Microscopically, the broiler-breeders reared on slats had a lymphocytic synovitis with synovial cell hyperplasia involving the gastrocnemius and digital flexor tendons. The incidence and severity of the lesion increased with time.     

A pilot study on the improvement of the lying area of finishing pigs by a soft lying mat

In this pilot study, we tested whether a soft mat (foam covered with a heat-sealed thermoplastic) reduces alterations and injuries at the skin and the leg joints.The soft mat in the lying area of partly slatted pens was compared to a lying area consisting of either bare or slightly littered (100 g straw per pig and day) concrete flooring. In this study we focused on skin lesions on the legs of finishing pigs as indicators of impaired welfare. Pigs were kept in 19 groups of 8-10 individuals and were examined for skin lesions around the carpal and tarsal joints either at a weight of <35 kg, or at close to 100 kg. The likelihood of hairless patches and wounds at the tarsal joints was significantly lower in pens with the soft lying mat than in pens with a bare concrete floor. Pens with a littered concrete floor did not differ compared to pens with a bare concrete floor. The soft lying mat thus improved floor quality in the lying area in terms of preventing skin lesions compared to bare and slightly littered concrete flooring. Such soft lying mats have thus the potential to improve lying comfort and welfare of finishing pigs.     

Hock injuries in cattle kept in straw yards or cubicles with rubber mats or mattresses

Hock damage is one of the most common traumatic injuries suffered by dairy cows, but most hock injuries should be avoidable. This study investigated the effect of housing system on the development of hock damage in first lactation Holstein heifers. After calving, 60 heifers were randomly allocated to either straw yards, cubicles with butyl rubber mats or cubicles with mattresses filled with chopped tyres. The hocks of these heifers were examined in the first week after calving (week 1) and in weeks 6, 12 and 26 of lactation. Hock damage was scored as either 1 (hair loss only) or 2 (all other damage). Heifers housed in cubicles with mats had significantly worse lesions at week 26 than at week 1, while there was no change in heifers housed in cubicles with matresses, and heifers housed on straw had significantly lower lesion scores. Additionally, heifers with no lesions at calving were significantly more likely to develop lesions when kept on mats than heifers kept on straw or mattresses. These data suggest that replacing mats with mattresses in cubicles can result in a significant reduction in traumatic hock injury.     

A comparison of hoof lesions and behaviour in pregnant and early lactation heifers at housing

Lameness, hoof lesion development and behaviour were compared for two groups of 10 heifers: one in early pregnancy (PH), the other in early lactation (LH). Both groups were housed in the summer in cubicles under identical conditions. Behavioural observations commenced immediately after housing, and then at 2, 4 and 6 weeks post-housing. Locomotion scores were assessed weekly, and feet were examined for lesions at approximately -1, 0, 1 and 2 months after housing. All four feet were photographed, lesions were scored subjectively for severity, and lesion size and position were estimated using image analysis techniques. LH already had greater total lesion scores before housing. More severe linear lesions in the LH group were associated with reduced lying, and less idling, increased standing in cubicles and more disturbed lying behaviour.     

The use of getting up and lying down movements in the evaluation of cattle environments

The aim of this review is to find out if getting up and lying down movements can be used as one of several parameters when evaluating different cattle environments. Getting up and lying down movements are performed according to innate movement patterns. An unsuitable environment can cause these movements to become incomplete or abnormal and so lead to injuries. Physiological measurements at lying down show a greater change in tethered cattle than in cattle kept on deep litter. In short stalls the use of certain types of tethers and the height of the manger edge affect the normal getting up and lying down movements. Unsuitably designed cubicles in loose housing systems can lead to changed movement patterns. Calves and fattening bulls have fewer lying down and getting up movements and longer lying intervals on slatted floors than on deep litter. Calves kept in small individual crates carry out a large percentage of their lying down and getting up procedures abnormally. In this review it is shown that it is possible to make improvements in the environment of cattle by using results from studies of these behaviour patterns. The conclusion is that getting up and lying down movements can be used as one of several parameters when evaluating different cattle environments.     

Liver diseases of fattening bulls]

The authors report on occurrence, causes and diagnostics of liver affections observed in fattening bulls in Ukrainia between 1982 and 1988. For this purpose, 2747 bulls in 10 fattening plants had been controlled clinically once during the last month of their final fattening period (lasting, according to the feeding schedule, from the 4th until the 12th, or from the 6th until the 18th month of life), and 1318 of them were controlled for eventual hepatic lesions at slaughter. The authors found an increase in liver affections during the final fattening period. The type of lesion found preferentially in the different fattening plants showed a certain correlation with feeding used in these: The prevalence of liver lesions (i.e. in 87.2% of the animals controlled) were found in fattening bulls fed cereal branstraw-pellets; among these, liver abscesses were most frequent (i.e. 55.2% of all lesions observed in this group). Steatosis of the liver was prevalent in fattening bulls receiving eating offalls (i.e. 82.7% of all lesions found in that group), whereas liver cirrhosis was prevalent in fattening bulls fed with sugar beet chips-silage. In Holstein-bulls, liver lesions were about double as frequent as in Fleckvieh-bulls (i.e. 37.3 and 16.7% of the livers controlled were found involved, respectively). Diagnostical value of several clinical parameters controlled is discussed (i.e. size and sensitivity of liver percussion field, activity of SDH, LDH, AST and ALT in serum, serum concentration of vitamin A, D3-25 and E, concentration of Vitamin A in liver, and concentration of cholic acids and of their glucoconjugates in bile).     

Cubicle housing systems for cattle: Comfort of dairy cows depends on cubicle adjustment

Housing is important for the welfare of cows. Although recommendations have been proposed, abnormal movements and injury problems are still observed in cubicle houses. We conducted a survey on 70 French dairy farms that used cubicles. We examined the design of the cubicles, and the behavior, injuries, and cleanliness of the cows. Most of the cubicles did not comply with the recommendations, often being too narrow and/or too short. Difficulties in lying behavior and injuries were more common when the neck rail was high. No improvement was noted when cubicles of a recent design were used ("U.S." cubicles), apparently because these cubicles were most often cantilevered on a double head rail rather than fixed on freestanding posts. An experiment was conducted, making similar measurements, on 84 cows to compare two configurations for U.S. cubicles (cantilevered on a double head rail as observed in the survey with a high and rear neck rail vs. fixed on freestanding posts as recommended) and another recent cubicle type (Euroconfort, cantilevered on head rails, but with a large space between the rails and fixed as recommended), with and without a brisket board. In U.S. cubicles on rails, cows spent more time lying and less time fully standing inside the cubicles than in the other cubicles (percentage of time: lying, 53.9 vs. 51.5; fully standing, 7.3 vs. 8.5); in Euroconfort cubicles, they hit bars more often when getting up than in U.S. Cubicles (percentage of observations: 42.4 vs. 26.4. Without a brisket board, cows lay down more often in a fore position in U.S. cubicles than in Euroconfort ones. Somatic cell counts increased with time in U.S. cubicles on rails and decreased in the other cubicles. It is suggested that the position of the neck rail in U.S. cubicles cantilevered on rails did not leave enough space for the cow to stand inside the cubicle, thereby encouraging the cow to lie down. This could in turn favor udder contamination and/or inflammation. It is concluded that the positioning of the neck rail is of prime importance, that U.S. cubicles should be used with a brisket board and with correct positioning of the neck rail (even when a head rail is used), and that leaving a large space between head rails does not offer an adequate remedial solution for keeping a free head space in front of the cubicle.     

Reaction of Calves to Two Flooring Materials Offered Simultaneously in One Pen

Now that group housing is replacing individual crates, so that calves can lie, stand and walk on the pen floor, the quality of the floor for group-housed calves has become the focus of attention. The reaction of two groups of four calves to a double area of floor made from two materials (wooden slats and synthetic slats with a rubber coating) was examined round the clock for 5 days. The calves were switched between pens twice, and in each case the 5 day observation period was repeated. In all three phases all calves spent significantly more time ( P <0.01) lying on the wooden floor: on average 656 min day -1 compared with 294 min day -1 on the synthetic floor. The time spent in the standing/walking position on both floors, occurrence of slip incidents and self-maintenance behaviour did not differ significantly between floors. The observations on use of the pen floor for lying and for standing/walking in combination with feeding, plus observations on fouling of the floors with excreta suggest that future pen design could be functionally divided into lying and walking/eating areas.     

Fattening bull raising--alternative housing on slatted floors

Rubber topped slatted floor gives more lying comfort to intensive fed fattening bulls, reduces risks of integument lesions as well as increases their locomotion comfort. On the other side there are more fissured alterations and defects in the sole and heel horn due to lack of sufficient wear away which often made the bearing surface to be overgrown. Overgrown claws are also seen on solid slatted floors, but these horn parts were normally grated down in short time that frequently goes along with abrasions of the claw peak and the wall horn as well. The current experiences of our study show favour to the use of a floor that combines hard and soft qualities. Weak claw performance and health has a link to a bad state of cleanness of the pens and the animals as well and must be assessed with regard to permanent wetness on the grounds. Animals out of greater pens are less dirty because the solid floor becomes sooner dry than in cases with higher crowding degrees of animals. More space per animal and higher comfort gives chance for higher daily weight gain. The recordings and evaluations of this project are still in progress.     

Effects of a rubber-slatted flooring system on cleanliness and foot health in tied dairy cows

Effects on animal cleanliness and foot health of a new rubber-slat system for tied dairy cows, with the ability to drain faeces and urine, were studied in a 2-year controlled quasi-randomised trial in a Swedish university herd. Swedish Red and White cows were kept tied in 42 traditional long-stalls with rubber mats. In total, 82 cows were observed. In 21 stalls, the rearmost 0.74m of the solid stall floor was replaced with nine rubber-coated 53mm wide slats, divided by 29mm slots. The cleanliness was assessed subjectively weekly (year 1) or bi-weekly (year 2) by observations of the hind part of the body. Claw measurements and foot health in hind feet were assessed in connection with hoof trimmings at the beginning, middle and end of the housing period. The foot-health recordings were blinded to flooring. For the analysis of both cleanliness (1781 records, 73 cows) and foot health (240 records, 79 cows), logistic regression was applied, using marginal models and cow observations as repeated measures within each year. The risk of getting dirty on the rubber-slatted floor was significantly lower (odds ratio 0.12 for hind feet when short stall dividers were used, 0.39 for hind legs and 0.38 for thighs and udder), comparing with the solid stall floor. The prevalence of foot diseases in hind feet at trimming was significantly lower on the rubber slats (odds ratio 0.23 for dermatitis, 0.09 for heel horn erosion, and 0.34 for sole ulcer or sole or white line haemorrhage).     

Behaviour and cleanliness of replacement dairy heifers housed in group pens with combined feeding–resting stalls

Abstract

This study was carried out in two commercial Norwegian dairy herds where the replacement heifers were kept in groups of 10 in pens with 6 conventional free-stalls and 5 combined stalls at the feed bunk. The stall cleanliness was better in the free-stalls than in the combined stalls (P?<?.01). Time spent lying was not affected by number of animals in the group (P?=?.20), but feeding synchrony (P?=?.05) and lying synchrony (<.001) were higher when there were six animals in the group. The heifers showed a clear preference for lying in the standard free-stalls and this was not affected by number of animals in the pen (P?=?.83). The results of this initial study indicate that a pen system with combined lying/feeding stalls and free-stalls offers a satisfactory lying comfort, apparently minimal competition over lying space and acceptable animal cleanliness.     

The effect of sea transport from Ireland to the Lebanon on inflammatory, adrenocortical, metabolic and behavioural responses of bulls

The objective was to investigate the effect of sea transport on the physiological, behavioural and performance responses of bulls. One-hundred and eleven bulls (mean body weight (standard error of the mean) 429 (5.7 kg)) were randomly assigned to one of three treatments; control (C; n = 54) bulls were housed in 6 pens at Teagasc, Grange Research Centre at a stocking density of (1), 1.7 m²/head (C1.7; 3 pens) and (2), 3.4 m²/head (C3.4; 3 pens) and (3), transported (T) bulls (n = 57) were penned at a space allowance of 1.7 m²/head (6 pens) and allocated to one of five decks on the shipping vessel. C and T bulls were subjected to the same live weight (d −2), blood sampling and rectal temperature (d −1) measurements pre-transport and on d 3, d 6, d 9 and d 11 of the study. T bulls had greater (P < 0.05) live weight gain (+4.4%) compared with C1.7 bulls (−2.0%) and C3.4 (+0.13%)). Time spent lying was greater (P < 0.05) among C1.7 and C3.4 bulls (9.9% and 53.3%, respectively) compared with T bulls (45.8%). Rectal body temperature was not different (P > 0.05) among treatment groups throughout the study. At d 11, neutrophil % was greater (P < 0.05) in transported bulls on decks 1, 2, 4 and 5 compared with C1.7 and C3.4 treatments. Plasma cortisol concentrations were not different (P > 0.05) between control and transported bulls. Plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity was lower (P < 0.05) among C3.4 and T bulls on decks 2, 3, 4 and 5 compared with d 3 values. In conclusion, the welfare of bulls transported by sea on the sea journey was not adversely affected. Housing control bulls at a reduced space allowance (1.7 m²) had a negative effect on live weight gain.     

Cubicle refusal in Norwegian dairy herds.

In order to survey the behaviour of choosing the alley area instead of a cubicle as a lying place (cubicle refusal), a questionnaire was sent to the 273 dairy farms in Norway known to keep cows in cubicle housing systems. Sixty-six percent of the farmers contacted were included in the study. The median herd size was 18 cows (range 7-118). More than 85% of the herds had sheds providing one or more cubicles per cow. The mean herd occurrence of cubicle refusal was 6%, but showed great variation (range 0-55%). Regression analysis showed a significant association between rearing heifers in slatted floor pens and an increased cubicle refusal occurrence (p = 0.02, R2 = 0.05), while herd size, use of litter, or cubicle-to-animal ratio were not found to be associated with cubicle refusal. The practice of rearing heifers in slatted floor pens accounted for about one half of the observed cubicle refusal (etiologic fraction = 0.51).     

Effect of the Stellamune Mycoplasma vaccine on growth, energy conversion, death, and medication use in fattening pigs on a pig farm chronically infected with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae

The effect of Stellamune Mycoplasma vaccine, administered to piglets aged 2-15 days and then 13-15 days later, on daily weight gain, energy conversion, and use of medication was examined in fattening pigs on a chronically Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infected pig farm. Half of the piglets were vaccinated and the other half acted as controls. In the study design, half of the pens in the fattening unit were allocated to vaccinated pigs; the other half to non-vaccinated pigs, pen was the experimental unit. In the fattening pens sows and castrated boars were separated. The study consisted of a total of 37 pens with vaccinated, and 37 pens with non-vaccinated pigs in 12 different compartments within the pig herd. In the finishing period, mean growth performance and mean energy conversion (EV/kg) of vaccinated animals was 65 grams/day higher and 0.07 EV/kg lower than in control pigs. Furthermore, the incidence of individual curative medication against respiratory problems was more than 4 times higher in control pigs than in vaccinated pigs. There was a tendency for a higher number of group medications against respiratory problems in control pigs than in vaccinated pigs. It is concluded that, in this herd, vaccination against M. hyopneumoniae was successful from an economic point of view.     

Water supply for Peking ducks--possible alternatives for bathing

In order to investigate possible advantages of open water drinkers such as troughs and bells in the intensive husbandry of ducks, we evaluated in this study the effect of open water systems on the behavior and health of peking ducks. In this investigation six fattening trials each with 1152 Cherry Valley Peking ducks were analyzed. The average fattening period was 47 to 49 days. The ducks were kept on straw in six standardized compartments each 32 qm with 192 ducks. 25% of the compartment with perforated grid, with one of the tested water systems. In contrast to pens with nipple-drinkers only, the ducks in pens with open water troughs/showers had the opportunity to exhibit their natural drinking behavior and water associated activities in accordance with the animal welfare requirements. In the free-choice pens the open water systems were significantly preferred, and over a 24-hour period the ducks in watering areas with open water troughs showed higher activity. Limiting the access to the open water systems to eight, four or two hours per day led to an increased use per time unit. Ducks with access to nipple drinkers only showed a significantly higher percentage of plugged up nostrils than animals from pens with open water drinkers. Open water drinkers had also a positive impact on the plumage condition.     

The effect of levels of concentrate in feedlot diets on the health status of beef calves

In this two year study we investigated the effect that the level of concentrate in feedlot diet had on the occurrence of health problems in bull calves belonging to two multibreed groups.

In each of the two years, the 168 day feedlot period was divided into two equal periods of 77 days with an intervening 14 day adjustment period. During the first period, the animals in half of the pens within each breed-group received a high concentrate (85% grain) diet (H) while the rest of the pens received a diet (L) of hay ad libitum and half as much concentrate as the bulls on high concentrate. The L diet contained an average of 48% grain. In the second period, diets of bulls in half of the pens within each breed-group were switched from L to H and vice versa. During the feedlot period, the incidence of sickness among bulls was recorded. Disease incidence was higher in the second year compared to the first. In the second year, 49 out of 56 (87.5%) calves on the high concentrate diet required treatment for respiratory infections compared to only four (7.14%) in bulls on the low concentrate diet. The results suggest that a high concentrate diet for animals in feedlots may be more stressful to calves coming directly to the feedlot following weaning compared to a low concentrate diet, thereby acting as an additional predisposing factor to respiratory infections.

     

Area of hock hair loss in dairy cows: Risk factors and correlation with a categorical scale

Data from 3691 dairy cows from 76 farms were used to investigate the risk factors associated with the area of hair loss over the lateral aspect of the hock and the correlation between the area of hair loss (as calculated using a hock map) and hock lesion scores determined using a pre-existing categorical scale. Six factors were associated with a greater area of hair loss, including cows with locomotion score 3, a cleanliness score (10/28 to 18/28), high daily milk yield (25.1–58.1 kg), poor body condition score (1–1.5), duration of winter housing (≥41 days) and some combinations of cubicle base and bedding materials.Compared with cows housed in cubicles with a concrete base and whole straw or rape straw bedding, cows housed in cubicles with concrete bases with sand or chopped straw bedding had smaller areas of hair loss and cows housed on a mattress base with whole straw or rape straw bedding had larger areas of hair loss. Area of hair loss, as measured on hock maps, was not significantly different between cows with score 1 (median 23.6 cm²) and score 2 (median 20.3 cm²) on the categorical scale for hock lesions. This suggests that the categorical scale was not reflecting the extent of hair loss and that hock maps are a good alternative for studying the dynamics of hock lesions over time.     

Frequency of occupation with different simultaneously offered devices by fattening pigs kept in pens with or without straw

The aim of this study was to investigate to what extent different occupational devices (pendular beam, cross of chains or lifting beam) offered simultaneously were used by one or more pigs kept in pens with or without straw during the fattening period. The data were obtained in four fattening periods. In every round four pens with nine animals each were available, two of them had a solid concrete floor and were littered with straw the other two had a partially slatted floor without any straw. At three stages during each fattening period the behaviour of the pigs was video-recorded for 24 h and their use of each occupational tool was analysed second-wise.In both housing systems the cross of chains was used longer for occupation than the other devices. The pendular beam was used least of all. All three devices could have been used by more than one pig at the same time, but the cross of chains was used longer by two to four pigs simultaneously than the others. It was observed that pigs in pens without straw used the cross of chains and the lifting beam significantly (p < 0.05) longer than the pigs in the pens with straw.All three devices are suitable to enrich a housing system without any litter. Especially a cross of chains allows the pigs to perform their explorational behaviour.     

提取精油后废弃薰衣草秸秆育肥牛试验效果分析

为探索废弃薰衣草秸秆的高效开发利用技术,将提取精油后产生的薰衣草秸秆制作成薰衣草秸秆青贮．开展薰衣草秸秆青贮与常规饲草料的育肥肉牛效果对比试验。选用新疆褐牛公牛40头,随机分为试验组和对照组．每组20头牛。试验组粗饲料为薰衣草秸秆青贮,对照组粗饲料为玉米秸秆青贮,饲喂量均为8～12kg／a,两组精饲料配方相同。预饲期10d,正式育肥期共210d。记录正式育肥期始末实验牛只的体重,计算试验期增重和平均日增重。结果表明,薰衣草秸秆青贮育肥牛与常规玉米秸秆育肥牛在增重指标上差异不显著（P〉0．05）,育肥期内薰衣草秸秆青贮育肥牛日增重为（0．98±0．10）kg,玉米秸秆育肥牛日增重为（0．99±0．11）kg。薰衣草秸秆与常规饲草料育肥肉牛的效果相似,表明薰衣草秸秆青贮能够作为粗饲料应用于肉牛养殖。